<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>100 Times Ignis and Prompto Fell in Love by daughteroferebor</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22353973">100 Times Ignis and Prompto Fell in Love</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/daughteroferebor/pseuds/daughteroferebor'>daughteroferebor</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Final Fantasy XV</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>AU, Alternate Universe, Cannon, M/M, Pining, Romance, oneshots</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-01-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-01-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 08:26:48</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>11,616</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22353973</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/daughteroferebor/pseuds/daughteroferebor</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>100 one shots based on a tumblr post I found. </p>
<p>“Some love stories aren’t epic novels.  Some are short stories but that doesn’t make them any less filled with love.”</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Prompto Argentum/Ignis Scientia</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>18</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Historical AU</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Historical AU. This was supposed to be a short oneshot and I got slightly carried away haha. Enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ignis Scientia smoothed the wrinkles out of his waistcoat with one last look in the long dressing mirror in his room; it was one of his favorites, a deep plum color with shining silver buttons lining the front. He smoothed a stray lock of hair back into the wax and straightened his spectacles, shrugging on his overcoat before stepping out into the brisk October air and locking the door behind him. The streets of Rhode Island bustled around him despite the hour, busy with people heading to work. His own place of work wasn’t far and so he set off on foot, hoping it would give his nerves some time to settle on the way. </p>
<p>Today was his first day at his new job, a manager at a textile factory. The business was run by Mr. Ardyn Izunia, one of the wealthiest men in the state, and Ignis wasn’t about to let this opportunity to go to waste. He would miss his old position in West Virginia certainly, the coal mine he helped manage was a reputable establishment run by a close family friend. Mr. Regis Lucis Caelum was a kind employer, strict when need be but nonetheless compassionate to his workers. Ignis’s job didn’t have him stepping foot into the mine but one of his childhood companions, Gladiolus Amicitia, often emerged at the end of a long day covered head to toe in soot (ignoring Ignis’s chiding as he tracked it all over his office). He only helped part time at the mine, most of the time he was busy helping his father who was one of Mr. Lucis Caelum’s partners. He loved his job, even if he spent most of it tracking down Noctis, who happened to be the heir to the company, to keep him out of trouble. Gladio and Noctis were his dearest friends, but when he received a job offer from none other than Ardyn Izunia himself they reluctantly encouraged him to take it.</p>
<p>He was so lost in thought he reached the gates to the factory much sooner than he had anticipated. Factory workers bustled around him as they made their way onto the floor to begin their long day of work. He moved along up the stairs towards the offices, lest he be distracted any longer, and stopped in front of the heavy oak door belonging to his new boss. He rapped his gloved knuckles on it three times and waited.</p>
<p>“You may enter.” A deep voice called from within.</p>
<p>Ignis pushed the door open and stepped towards a man with long maroon hair tied back in a low ponytail; his tailcoat looked expensive, the ruffles and lace that had been slowly losing fashion as of late were pristine and white and the golden buttons didn’t look to be painted to Ignis.</p>
<p>“Ah! Mr. Scientia! So good to have you here, you have no idea how pleased I was to hear you accepted my offer of employment.” Mr. Izunia greeted with a smile.</p>
<p>His voice was smooth, Ignis would almost describe it as velvet, or perhaps a warm drink on a cold day. Still, there was something a little unsettling about it that made the small hairs on the back of his neck stand up. However he supposed not everyone could be like Regis Lucis Caelum.</p>
<p>“Pleased to meet your acquaintance. You have my gratitude for offering me this position, I’m positive we’ll work well together.”</p>
<p>He gave a small nod of his head as he gave his response, his Lancashire accent sticking out starkly. Mr. Izunia didn’t say anything at first, just gave him a tight smile and gestured to someone behind Ignis.</p>
<p>“This is Verstael Besithia, a partner of mine. He’ll be showing you to your office and around the floor before leaving you to do your work. It was a pleasure, Mr. Scientia. I look forward to our partnership.” Mr. Izunia nodded to the elderly man standing behind Ignis.</p>
<p>The pair shook hands with standard greetings and the two men were off. Ignis’s office was down the hall from Mr. Izunia’s, it had the same oak door but inside it looked like night and day. Whereas Mr. Izunia’s office looked well lived in and comfortable Ignis’s was rather bare, a desk and chair by an oil lamp and a bookcase on the wall. It was expected, and nothing he couldn’t fix with a few personal effects, but that isn’t what caught his attention.</p>
<p>The wall facing the factory floor was made entirely of glass, curtains pushed to the side so he assumed he would have the option of privacy. Through the window he could see the entire factory floor, each worker at their station diligently preparing the textiles for sale.</p>
<p>“Please, make yourself at home. You may observe from here and make any adjustments you see fit to manage productivity on the floor. I’ve heard good things about you, so don’t disappoint.” Mr. Besithia stated quite coldly before swiftly leaving Ignis in peace.</p>
<p>Ignis ran his finger across the desk, oil lamp in the corner burning lowly as the sunlight filtered through the smaller window behind his seat. He ignored the papers in the folder already sitting on his desk in favor of walking to the observation window. It was odd, like looking into the goldfish bowl that Noctis had when he was five. He’d named the fish Carbuncle and cried when Ignis had explained he couldn’t just carry the bowl around with him wherever he went. He couldn’t help the small smile that subconsciously quirked on his face as he thought of his friend.</p>
<p>Back to the task at hand he resumed studying the floor, his eyes scanning from left to right slowly before he stopped short. There was a flash of bright yellow hair that seemed so out of place in the dull factory, the young man it belonged to was working diligently. He was far away, but Ignis could make out the splash of freckles dotting his face and the tops of his shoulders and collarbone that he could make out. He was too far away for him to discern his eye color, but his smile was bright as he leaned over to say something to his neighbor, never taking his eyes off the machine. It was the first true smile he’d seen since he arrived in the state, the thought couldn't escape his head.</p>
<p>Interesting.<br/>……………………………..</p>
<p>Two weeks later Ignis had learned precisely three things about the boy with golden hair. One: his name was Prompto Argentum. Two: he was approximately the same age as Noctis. Three: his smile was the most genuine thing Ignis saw on a regular basis.</p>
<p>The first two he had learned from employment records, the third was simply a deduction after weeks of study. He felt strangely ashamed to admit that most of his floor observation was watching Mr. Argentum bite his lip as he worked or give a smile to a friend. In fact, he couldn’t seem to pull his eyes away currently as he reached over to help the woman next to him with something he couldn’t see. As he leaned back to his station his eyes darted around, as if to look for watching eyes. Then he found them. His eyes locked with Ignis’s and he couldn’t help but suck in a sharp breath.</p>
<p>His eyes were blue. Bright blue with hints of violet like the sky at dawn.<br/>………………………………</p>
<p>He noticed more about Mr. Argentum too. How he worked quickly, how he was fast to help a neighbor before the floor supervisors caught wind of it. How often he coughed. </p>
<p>Coughing wasn’t strange. Smog was common with all the factories around, most factory workers had a rather bad cough at all times, but Ignis couldn’t help but worry. Black lung was an unfortunate risk of coal mining, one he had seen far too often while working for Mr. Lucis Caelum. While Regis had been a kind boss, one that let employees take paid time off when things got bad, it was almost certain that after a while you would get it. It was why Gladio’s father insisted he stop helping in the mines and instead turn to the business side of things, much to his son’s chagrin. </p>
<p>Black lung had no place in a textile factory. But brown lung did. The wheezing and coughing was audible among the lower class on the streets. Ignis often bought certain foods from that part of town, preferring one particular merchant who lived there over all others; the woman sold the best vegetables from her son’s farm a little ways outside the city. Vegetables aside, he was no stranger to brown lung and he was fairly certain Mr. Argentum had it. </p>
<p>He just wished his chest didn’t restrict so much when he thought about it. He didn’t know this man at all, he was no different than the other factory workers.<br/>…………………………….</p>
<p>He had no reason to go on the floor, really he didn’t. He told himself over and over that it was pointless and juvenile and above all unprofessional, but he couldn’t contain his urges anymore. He was sick and tired of watching Mr. Argentum bend over and wheeze his lungs out every ten minutes. He could feel eyes on him as he walked down the lines towards that shock of gold. He ignored them. When he reached Mr. Argentum’s station those violet eyes looked up at him slowly, apprehension in his gaze.</p>
<p>“Mr. Argentum?” He began, clearing his throat to drown out the sound of coughing somewhere else on the floor.</p>
<p>“Yessir.” He responded with a polite nod.</p>
<p>“You are being reassigned.”</p>
<p>The boy’s eyes went wide and he opened his mouth before he thought better of it. It seemed as though he wanted to argue, but instead he just nodded again.</p>
<p>“To where, sir?” </p>
<p>“You’ll be handling boxing out back. Follow me please.” Ignis had thought about this for a few weeks, he could easily pass this off as a productivity change. Argentum’s illness was impeding his ability to work, but he could box textiles for shipment just fine. It would also get him away from those machines.</p>
<p>Ignis knew he looked out of place briskly walking out towards the shipping yard. The young man had to walk twice as fast to keep up, but Ignis was afraid if he looked at him again he was going to say something stupid. He had already taken note of how dull that golden hair was, how bony he was and how his clothing all but fell off of him. Didn’t he eat? Ignis pushed the frustration down as he slowed to a stop in the yard.</p>
<p>“You’ll be handling the boxing here.” He explained a bit more curtly than he intended.</p>
<p>“Is this a permanent assignment, sir?” Argentum asked as Ignis turned to leave.</p>
<p>“Yes.”</p>
<p>He didn’t turn back around.<br/>…………………….</p>
<p>A few days later there was a brash knock on his office door. Just by the sound Ignis knew who would walk through, releasing a heavy sigh as the door opened without an answer.</p>
<p>The silver haired woman he had come to know as Aranea Highwind opened the door. She ran odd jobs for Mr. Izunia, occasionally overseeing things here at the factory. She was a strange woman, intelligent and beautiful to be certain but also rude and overly fond of wearing mens clothing. </p>
<p>“I’ve got a worker here, says he wants to speak with you.” She says, right down to business as usual.</p>
<p>He bit back another sigh. His paperwork today was monumental and he didn’t have the time for this right now. </p>
<p>“Alright. Send him in. Thank you Miss. Highwind.” He answered, not bothering to mask his displeased tone.</p>
<p>The woman in question rolled her eyes so far back in her head he feared they would get stuck but ducked her head out only to be replaced by a familiar golden head of hair. One he hadn’t seen in a while.</p>
<p>His mood immediately brightened, he was honest enough with himself to admit he rather missed seeing that head of hair and that smile through his window each day.</p>
<p>“Ah. Mr. Argentum, how may I help you?” He greeted, sitting up straighter and placing his pen vertically next to the paper he was working on.</p>
<p>The blonde looked determined, nervous to be sure, but determined. He shuffled from side to side slightly, his fists clenched so hard Ignis could practically see his chewed nails digging into his palm. However the fire in his eyes was the most startling difference. </p>
<p>“Did you reassign me because I’m sick?”</p>
<p>Ignis was startled, something that was quite a feat considering he so very rarely was.</p>
<p>“Why do you think that?” He smoothly avoided the answer, folding his hands on top of the desk.</p>
<p>“I can still do my work, I swear. Reassign me back to the floor. Please.”</p>
<p>Ignis was bewildered. Why would he want to go back to the floor? Ignis had given him a way out, a way to prevent his health from deteriorating. Did he want to die?</p>
<p>“Explain to me why I would do that.” He asked, quirking an eyebrow at the young man looking more desperate by the second.</p>
<p>Ignis hated himself for wishing for a smile instead.</p>
<p>“Because…I just…” He seemed to struggle with finding the words to say, dissolving into a dry sounding cough instead. Ignis was pretty sure he knew.</p>
<p>“You’ve been covering for some of the others in the factory. Is that why?” </p>
<p>Argentum’s head snapped up, eyes wild and a little frightened looking.</p>
<p>“How did you…?” He seemed to stumble on his sentence again, this time without the cough thankfully.</p>
<p>“You do realize I can see everything from up here, right?” Ignis gestured to the window looking out onto the factory floor.</p>
<p>Argentum looked about to say something else but Ignis cut him off.</p>
<p>“When someone starts to struggle you step in to help them complete their task before the floor supervisor notices.”</p>
<p>The young man wheezed with a cough again as he tried to speak to quickly.</p>
<p>“They need to money. Most of them are too sick to be working but they do anyways because they have families, they just need a little help. I promise I-“</p>
<p>“I’m not going to let anyone go, Mr. Argentum.” Ignis tried to fight off the headache that had been ebbing its way into his head ever since he forgot his coffee this morning. It wasn’t working.</p>
<p>There was complete silence for a moment.</p>
<p>“You…aren’t?” </p>
<p>He gave Argentum a look and he guessed that conveyed everything he needed it to because the blonde quieted.</p>
<p>“Then why me? I’m not good at lifting boxes. I’m useless out there. You know that.” Argentum threw up his hands a little, a gesture Ignis found infuriatingly endearing.</p>
<p>“You are in no fit condition to be working on the floor.” Ignis hoped he wasn’t giving himself away, he hoped the other man didn’t realize how horrifyingly invested he had become in his life. A man he had never had a proper conversation with.</p>
<p>Until now.</p>
<p>“There are people much sicker than I am. Put them in the yard. I can go back to the floor. Please.” Argentum begged.</p>
<p>Ignis took a long silent look at him, at those curled fists and the strong and straight stance. He wasn’t going to give this up. He couldn’t help the sigh this time, leaning back in his chair to think for a moment.</p>
<p>He remembered leaving Argentum in the shipping yard. How he felt if he looked him in the eyes one more time he would say something stupid.</p>
<p>Well, his eyes met those blue and violet ones and he did. Say something stupid, that is.</p>
<p>“I’ll reassign you to the floor again on the condition you accompany me to dinner this evening.”</p>
<p>Ignis wanted to shove the words back into his body as soon as they came out. Dead silence rang across the room just long enough that his cheeks were starting to heat before he got a reply.</p>
<p>“You want me to….what?” The young blonde looked just as shocked as Ignis had been when the words left his lips. He cleared his throat, there was no backing out now.</p>
<p>“Accompany me to dinner. Tonight. I’d like to ask you some questions about the factory. You would be compensated of course.” He tried to brush it off, but he wasn’t entirely sure how successful he was being.</p>
<p>“Oh…um…okay?” It came out like a question, but Ignis heard it for what it was. </p>
<p>“Fantastic. Please write your address here, I’ll come to retrieve you at approximately 7:00 tonight.” Ignis slid a blank sheet of paper towards him, focusing on ignoring how their hands brushed when Mr. Argentum took the pen from him.</p>
<p>There was more silence as he wrote, sliding the paper back over and standing with an awkward shuffle.</p>
<p>“Um…thank you. I’ll…just get back to work now.” Mr. Argentum stuttered, bowing his head awkwardly before taking his leave.</p>
<p>As soon as the wooden door slammed shut Ignis put his head in his hands and groaned.<br/>……………………….</p>
<p>At 7:00 on the dot Ignis stood outside an apartment, looking down at the paper in his hands to reaffirm he had the right place. The streets here were narrow, apartments packed closely together and very clearly run down. Laundry lines hung from windows and there were a couple men wandering the streets, some begging for money and work and others holding bottles. He cleared his throat and knocked.</p>
<p>He was surprised to see an unfamiliar woman open the door. She had short dirty blonde hair in ringlets that were hastily tied back. Mechanical grease stained her clothing, likely from one of the factories just down the road, and a dirty dish rag was slung over her arm. He’d likely interrupted her in the middle of her chores.</p>
<p>“Who’re you?” She asked, her eyes narrowed in suspicion. </p>
<p>“Pardon me, ma’am. I was wondering if a Prompto Argentum lives at this residence?” </p>
<p>She didn’t look any more trusting, but took her eyes off him for a second to call behind her.</p>
<p>“Prom! You got some fancy looking feller here lookin’ for you!”</p>
<p>Her accent was distinctly southern, and he couldn't help but wonder what she was doing this far North. He didn’t think on it much further as Mr. Argentum emerged in the doorway. Ignis had to say he was surprised, the young man looked as though he had made he best attempt at cleaning up. He had a tan waistcoat that was slightly too big for him along with an overcoat a bit nicer than the one he’d seen him wear while leaving the factory.</p>
<p>“I do hope I’m not interrupting.” He apologized. Mr. Argentum shook his head.</p>
<p>“No! I’m good to go, see you Cindy!” He called back to the blonde woman still giving him the stink eye. </p>
<p>The pair walked in an awkward sort of silence for about a block before Ignis broke it.</p>
<p>“I take it that was your wife?” He didn’t want to think about the strange feeling in his stomach when he’d made the realization on the young man’s doorstep.</p>
<p>Mr. Argentum let out a surprised laugh, cutting himself off once he realized it.</p>
<p>“Sorry! No, that's just Cindy. I live with her and her Grandfather, Cid. Dave and Dino too.” He corrected with a smile.</p>
<p>Ignis had no idea who this Dave and Dino were but he couldn’t ignore the relieved feeling he got at the news.</p>
<p>“Ah, my apologies. I take it you aren’t married then?” He pried slightly, writing it off as casual conversation.</p>
<p>“Nah. Don’t see much of a point really.” The shrug that went along with it sent his overcoat sliding off his shoulder a bit and Ignis itched to fix it.</p>
<p>“Oh? And why might that be?” He was truly curious. Certainly someone like Mr. Argentum, hard working, caring, with such a wonderful smile would have no wants for company.</p>
<p>The man in question had to stop and let out a dry hacking cough, bent over at the waist. Ignis stopped too, hand hovering over his back as he tried in vain to come up with something to do for him. Soon enough he straightened back up and looked at Ignis sheepishly.</p>
<p>“Sorry about that.” He rubbed the back of his neck, avoiding his gaze as he apologized.</p>
<p>“No apology necessary.” Ignis replied. He didn’t bring up marriage again, the answer to his last question painfully obvious to him now.</p>
<p>The restaurant he wanted to visit was only a short ways away, so Ignis stopped to hold the door open for his guest as he walked in. He’d been recommended this restaurant by Mr. Lucis Caelum before he’d left West Virginia, his former boss’s old friend ran the place. Weskham Armaugh had a way with food and drinks and it quickly became a favorite of Ignis’s to visit.</p>
<p>“Ignis! Pleasant surprise! Please, take a seat and I’ll be right with you.” The older man greeted him briefly before turning back to the customer he was serving.</p>
<p>He noticed Argentum was shifting nervously again behind him so he took charge, leading them to his usual table in the corner. They barely had time to sit before Weskham arrived at their table, taking Ignis’s usual order. Ignis quickly took note of Mr. Argentum’s slightly panicked expression and quickly made sure Weskham knew he would be footing the bill for the evening, despite the blonde’s protests. </p>
<p>The silence resumed after he left to put their order in with the kitchen. Ignis felt like a foolish schoolboy, trying too hard to feign disinterest in a romantic interest.</p>
<p>“So, Mr. Scientia. You said you wanted to ask me some questions about the factory?” Argentum broke the silence.</p>
<p>“Ah, yes indeed. Please excuse my rudeness, Mr. Argentum.” Ignis apologized. He really had come up with some questions after his blunder in his office.</p>
<p>“You mentioned many workers in the factory were sick. I’ve also come to understand the company doesn’t offer anything to help workers who fall ill. The company I used to manage had a few systems in place to help miners that came down with black lung. I feel I can utilize those methods here with an appeal to Mr. Izunia, but I’d like to have a floor worker’s perspective on things.”</p>
<p>He really did too. After their chat in his office, Ignis had realized he hadn’t exactly lied to Mr. Argentum. He did have questions about work life at his new factory, especially due to the level of illness he had witnessed just in his month or so of being there.</p>
<p>Mr. Argentum scoffed, then seemed to realize what he’d just done and widened his eyes.</p>
<p>“Something the matter?” Ignis inquired. A sigh came from across the table, then silence.</p>
<p>“Mr. Izunia won’t agree to that. He doesn’t care about us. Never has. The month before you got here he fired ten people for being too sick to work. I know four of them personally who couldn’t afford rent anymore. They just got sicker and sicker and three of those four are dead now.” There was something incredibly bitter about Mr. Argentum’s voice as he spoke. The slump of his shoulders and crease in his brow were evident as he gazed out the window to the snow that was lightly falling down.</p>
<p>It was risky. Speaking that was about their boss in front of someone like Ignis, especially considering he really didn't know him. He seemed willing enough to do it though, something that piqued Ignis’s interest. It seemed Mr. Argentum was a very honest man too, something he added to his arsenal of facts about him.</p>
<p>“Well, perhaps we can see what can be done about that.” Ignis gave him a conspiratorial smile. Mr. Argentum seemed to let out a breath he was holding.</p>
<p>“Thank you, Mr. Scientia.” He looked at him with those eyes of dawn and Ignis felt a warmth rise within him that had nothing to do with the fireplace near their table.</p>
<p>“Please, call me Ignis.” He wanted to hear him say it, more than anything.</p>
<p>“Alright. Ignis. Then please, call me Prompto.” The young man gave him that bright smile he could spot from all the way up in his office and Ignis was nearly blinded.</p>
<p>“Pleased to meet your acquaintance, Prompto.”<br/>……………………….</p>
<p>Weeks turned into months and Ignis was happy despite the constant fight with his boss about implementing more rights for his workers. Each day while he observed the factory floor from the window in his office his eyes would stop on a particular station with a particular golden haired young man. Most days, that same young man would look up and meet his gaze with a small smile before going back to work. Those days had Ignis high on happiness all day. He could no longer fool himself into thinking he was anything but hopelessly infatuated with Prompto Argentum.</p>
<p>The pair went out often, sometimes on walks, bars, coffee shops or to Weskham’s. At first it started as a way to talk more about Ignis’s plans for the factory workers, but after a while they would spend time together without any sort of excuse. It was during these outings he learned many things about Prompto.</p>
<p>He loved art, he would watch the man stare in awe at the ripped and faded oil painting of the city skyline hanging on the wall of a coffee shop the man frequented.</p>
<p>“I wish I could do that. Just capture a moment forever, keep the image with me.” He always had a far away look in his eyes when he said that.</p>
<p>He was also very giving, taking great care to look after his housemates. Ignis had the pleasure of meeting them all. </p>
<p>Cindy was a lovely girl working at a mechanics factory, she was fiercely protective over Prompto which explained her cold demeanor when they first met. Now the woman met him with a smile whenever he came around to collect Prompto for the evening.</p>
<p>Cid was her grandfather. Mr. Sophiar was a rather grumpy old man, past his factory days although he did he best to help out when he could. Despite his abrasive nature, Ignis found he quite liked the conversations the two had on politics and the happenings in the world around them.<br/>Dave was a charming man, older than Ignis was. He wasn’t around very much, but when he was he was always pleasant and smiling. Ignis hadn’t realized how much of a rarity smiling was in this city until he began to live here.</p>
<p>Dino wasn’t Ignis’s favorite person. He had flat out told Prompto he was a scam artist at one point, only for the blonde to wince and nod in his agreement.</p>
<p>“Yeah. He is a really good guy though! I swear!”</p>
<p>Ignis had a hard time taking his word for it when every time he was around Dino was trying to sell him some salve or another that he highly suspected was just gutter water.</p>
<p>Prompto’s cough was getting worse and Ignis worried, but he was happy.</p>
<p>He was even happier when April came around the corner and he and Prompto were taking a walk through the streets at dusk and enjoying the early spring air, he was updating the blonde on the very little progress he had been making with Mr. Izunia about implementing new policies to assist sick workers. Now Ignis was usually a man prepared, but luck was not on his side that day as the sky opened up around them with his umbrella nowhere to be found. The pair all but sprinted down the road, just barely pressing themselves under the overhand of a building to escape from the pelting rain. He could feel Prompto’s chest moving as he tried to catch his breath, their waistcoats soaked and water blowing towards them due to the wind. It was a tight squeeze between the wall and some crates left outside by some careless employee, and Ignis was beginning to feel the ire of a ruined night when he heard a soft sound next to him.</p>
<p>Was Prompto giggling?</p>
<p>Ignis must have given him a strange look because the giggles turned into full blown laughs, only stopping long enough to give a choppy explanation.</p>
<p>“Just…look at us!” Prompt spread his arms apart like wings and Ignis couldn’t help but begin to laugh too. He couldn’t help it when the young man’s laughter was so contagious. </p>
<p>The pair of them stood there, barely out of the rain and soaked to the bone in fits of laughter when Prompto suddenly stopped. When Ignis looked up to see what the matter was he found those captivating eyes starting into his. Blue and violet and shining with laughter and hope and struggles.</p>
<p>Ignis had never wanted to kiss anyone more in his entire life. So he did.</p>
<p>He wasn’t sure who had moved first in the end, but Ignis’s hands fisted in the fabric at Prompto’s waist while the other man cupped his cheeks. Ignis had had better kisses, but none could compare to this one. Rainwater dripped between their noses and Ignis was sure his hair was completely flat, glasses abandoned in his pocked as they had fogged up in the weather. He felt unhinged, like he couldn’t stop kissing Prompto if he tried.</p>
<p>Finally they did, only for Ignis to search the other man’s eyes and say something he was well aware was very out of character for him.</p>
<p>“Please, don’t feel the need to say yes to me but…would you like to retire to my place for the evening?”</p>
<p>Prompto just nodded.</p>
<p>There was a slight distraction when they got to his apartment, Prompto taking in the pristine furniture and full bookshelf on the way up to his bedroom, but they got there in the end. Lips on lips, hands and tongues on skin, desperation filling the room. </p>
<p>His full length mirror reflected their actions out of the corner of his eye, just enough that Ignis could see Prompto’s back arch with a gasp and he couldn’t help but smile.<br/>………………………</p>
<p>Ignis was writing to Noctis and Gladio at his desk at the factory when he noticed something was wrong. He wrote every so often and todays particular subject was about Prompto, he truly felt that he and Noctis would be fast friends. It frightened him a little that he was so ready to introduce Prompto into every part of his life, it frightened him even more that his coughing had gotten worse and worse over the months. October was here again marking a year since Ignis made the move to Rhode Island, and the cold weather was only making the illness worse.</p>
<p>He looked up to find the blonde in question, but frowned when he noticed an empty station. It was unusual, but perhaps he was merely late to work. He tried not to fret too much about it, drowning himself in the work he knew would keep him up all night.</p>
<p>The second day he did worry. Mr. Izunia piled on his workload, but there was still no sign of Prompto on the factory floor.</p>
<p>The third day he was met with the sight of another young man at Prompto’s station. A young man without golden hair and eyes like the dawn and a smile like the sunshine. He marched to the heavy wooden door marking Mr. Izunia’s office.</p>
<p>“You may enter.” The accented voice called, Ignis barely waited for him to finish his sentence before he stalked in.</p>
<p>“Has there been a change in employment on the floor? Station 31 is no longer occupied by the normal employee.” He tried to keep it vague, keeping their relationship under wraps was important to them both, but he wanted answers.</p>
<p>“Mr. Argentum, you mean? Yes. I’ve sent him home indefinitely. He’s unfit to work, a detail you seem to have overlooked Mr. Scientia.” The gaze he was met with was level and Ignis knew. He knew what was happening.</p>
<p>He had known that pushing for workers rights this whole time would have some sort of consequence, he had been hoping for a positive outcome but he would never have guessed this. How had he known? They had been so careful…</p>
<p>“If you are punishing someone here let it be me.” If Mr. Izunia wasn’t going to play games then he wasn’t either.</p>
<p>“Punishing? Who said anything about punishing? The boy is unfit. I know you see it Scientia. He coughs more than he works, I could practically hear his wheezing from my office. This is what happens with older workers.” Mr. Izunia responded chidingly.</p>
<p>“Older? He’s 22 years of age. That is hardly old.” Ignis argued, the fire of his namesake coming to light in him as he tried his best to undo what had been done.</p>
<p>“He’s unfit. End of discussion Mr. Scientia. Unless you wish to join him in his unemployed status.” There was a dangerous glint to Mr. Izunia’s eyes now and Ignis swallowed his pride for both him and Prompto’s sake as he stalked back towards his own office.</p>
<p>Maybe he slammed the door a little harder than he should have, much like a petulant child, but if he did he must say it felt very relieving.<br/>………………….</p>
<p>October turned into March and the cold was slowly seeping out of the city once more. He wished Prompto was able to see it. He could barely get out of bed any longer and Ignis found himself missing their walks, their coffee shop visits, going to Weskham’s, his giggle as they kissed just out of sight in the corner outside some store. Now he was here, wheezing and coughing and looking admittedly sicker by the day. Despite his protests Ignis called on a doctor to take a look at him, but the physician said that the unfortunate damage was already done. Ignis’s heart dropped to his feet that day.</p>
<p>Most of Ignis’s time was spent by his side when he wasn’t at work. He brought him food and would sit and read to him until the sunlight dipped far below the horizon. He kissed his head and his cheeks and his nose and prayed to whoever was listening that things would look up.</p>
<p>They didn’t.</p>
<p>On April 5th he was just about to head home from his office at the factory when he spotted blonde curls bouncing and dodging through the crowd of employees returning home for the evening. </p>
<p>“Miss. Aurum-“ He began as she came within hearing distance. He didn’t get a chance to finish, between pants and deep breaths Cindy managed to get out two words before Ignis was running</p>
<p>“Its Prompto-“</p>
<p>He made it to Prompto’s apartment in record time. He knew he probably should have waited for Cindy to catch her breath and accompany him back, but he couldn't find it within himself to care about manners at the moment.</p>
<p>Dave and Cid crowded around Prompto’s bed, when Cid noticed Ignis’s swift entrance he walked towards the door, pulling him just outside by the arm and speaking in a low voice.</p>
<p>“This is it, boy.” Ignis had never seen the old man cry, but he could see the tear tracks on his face although his voice was strong.</p>
<p>“No.” Ignis shook his head. This wasn’t going to happen.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry.” Cid pinched the bridge of his nose and Ignis saw the hint of more tears escaping.</p>
<p>“No…we’ll call a doctor. The doctor can-“</p>
<p>“Can’t do anything for him. We already tried that, remember?” Cid interrupted him and Ignis’s vision grew blurry despite the glasses.</p>
<p>“You can’t just give up on him-“ Cid put his hand on his arm to stop him and looked him dead in the eyes.</p>
<p>“Son, just go be with him. Be with him until its time to go. Breathe. He needs you right now.” The old man had noticed Ignis starting to hyperventilate, something he hadn’t even noticed in himself.</p>
<p>It took a moment for him to calm down enough to enter the room, with Cid’s help he managed to make it to Prompto’s bedside. Dave was finishing saying something to the blonde, but smoothed his hair out of his face in spite of the wheezing episode the boy was having before he left the room to Ignis.</p>
<p>“Iggy…” the room erupted into wheezing again.</p>
<p>“Hush now, Prompto.” He sat next to him and took his hand. </p>
<p>His hand was rough from years of manual labor, rough compared to Ignis’s relatively smooth ones. He loved to hold it, to feel the callouses and the way he subconsciously rubbed his thumb over Ignis’s when they held hands. He wanted to hold that hand, to stand at his side and proudly introduce him to his best friends in the entire world. He wanted to hold it while they sat and read together, he wanted to hold it laying in bed in a home they lived in together.</p>
<p>Ignis couldn’t help the tears. He prided himself on his inability to cry, but it seemed his streak had been broken. He couldn’t find it in himself to care.</p>
<p>Prompto was looking at his face like it was the last thing he would ever do, the wheezing unbearably loud to Ignis’s ears. Ignis looked at Prompto’s face like it was the last time he’d ever see it.</p>
<p>He needed him to know. They’d said it before, many times in fact, but something in Ignis needed him to know.</p>
<p>“I love you.” Those eyes like the dawn were locked on his and he let out a very wheezy </p>
<p>“I love you too.”</p>
<p>“More than anything in this world, darling. More than anything.” Ignis was stroking Prompto’s cheek with his thumb as his love’s eyes started to grow hazy and glassy. He was so thin, so tired. He’d had no appetite, no energy, none of that spark Ignis fell in love with as of late but he was still him.</p>
<p>His breathing slowed, the wheezes more drawn out. Ignis had no idea how long he sat there, holding himself together by a thread until the light in his eyes turned from dawn to dusk. It was then, and only then, that he broke down.</p>
<p>Straight laced, business focused, strictly professional, uppity Ignis Scientia broke down.</p>
<p>He felt a hand on his back. Cid and Dave again, this time with Cindy and Dino standing at the doorway. He didn’t care, he didn’t plan on moving.</p>
<p>“Come on, son.” Cid said softly, all but pulling Ignis to his feet and towards their small kitchen area.</p>
<p>The sobs eventually died into a haze, staring forwards with nothing but emptiness filling him. He thought he heard someone say something about shock but he found that a ridiculous notion. He just saw the love of his life die, of course he was upset. Some part of him knew it was coming, it couldn’t have been shock. Staring out the window aimlessly was a normal way to cope. To help him get his bearings.</p>
<p>Or maybe it was just because the sun was rising, dawn began to fill the sky and Ignis sat there with a crack in his chest as he remembered a pair of blue and violet eyes.<br/>……………………………..</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Circus AU</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Circus AU: a Greatest Showman-esque fic.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ignis Scientia looked at the papers in front of him but he didn’t really need to. The big top tent was looming and unmistakable in front of him, it was all the locals had been talking about for weeks now. Insomnia Circus, the greatest traveling circus in the world or so they say. And Ignis was their newest employee. </p>
<p>He wouldn’t be performing, he could shudder just thinking about it; instead he was hired for bookkeeping. As the circus grew more and more popular it was harder for Regis Lucis-Caelum, the owner and ringmaster, to keep up with the financial side of the business. Thus Ignis’s employment. It wasn’t what he thought he would be doing with his accounting degree, but here he was. If nothing else he figured it would be an interesting addition to his resume, but truth be told he was planning on handing in his resignation the second a stable and stationary job made itself available.</p>
<p>Somehow although he knew big tops were large he still managed to underestimate the sheer mass of it, a faint part of the back of his mind wondered how long it took them to put it up and how on Earth they traveled with it. He supposed he would find out soon enough. He found the entrance to the tent, it was still hours before their first show and he intended to find his new boss before he was inevitable busy for the rest of the night. Before he could take two steps into the tent he ran face first into what he could only describe as a hulking man. He was at least a good five inches on Ignis, who wasn’t a small man himself, and his lack of a shirt showed off the impressive and rather painful looking tattoos adorning almost every blank part of his skin.</p>
<p>“Sorry! You alright?” The man asked, reaching a hand down to help Ignis up. He begrudgingly accepted and the man pulled him up with an almost insultingly little amount of effort.</p>
<p>“Yes. I’m quite alright, my apologies.” He responded a bit stiffly, brushing the dust off of his overcoat.</p>
<p>“We aren’t opening for another few hours though, I’m gonna have to ask you to wait outside.” He looked almost apologetic as he said so but seemed ready enough to throw him out, Ignis cleared his throat and spoke quickly.</p>
<p>“My name is Ignis Scientia. I believe Mr. Lucis-Caelum is expecting me.” He introduced himself, stopping the big man in his tracks as a look of recognition fell over him.</p>
<p>“Right! You’re the new numbers guy, ain’t ya? I’m Gladio, I’ll take ya to the boss man if you want.” He held out a hand and Ignis gripped it in a firm handshake.</p>
<p>“My thanks.”</p>
<p>The pair walked deeper into the tent, walking through the large ring in the middle where there were some people already setting up for tonights show.</p>
<p>“Gladdy!” A small woman cried, running at them from the side of the circle. She was a great deal smaller than Gladio but Ignis could see a faint resemblance in their features. They had the same eyes, the same sharpness to their nose, if he had to guess he would assume they were-</p>
<p>“Iris! This is Ignis, the new finance guy. Ignis, this is my sister Iris. She handles the knife throwing act in the show.” His smirk as he said so was proud and Iris’s was positively impish.</p>
<p>She rocked up on her toes and stuck a hand out, the other behind her back.</p>
<p>“Nice to meet you! I’m sure you’ll love it here! Has he met Noct yet?” She introduced herself, addressing the second question to her brother.</p>
<p>“Not yet. His royal brattiness is probably still sleeping.” Despite the nickname it was said with a certain fondness that threw Ignis off ever so slightly. He assumed this ‘Noct’ was a friend of theirs by the warmth in his tone.</p>
<p>Iris gave her brother a hug and ran off with the intention of sharpening her knives (not too sharp, Gladio reprimanded her) and they continued walking. As they walked Ignis was introduced to a few more people, a man named Cor who worked with the lions, two women named Luna and Cindy who were acrobats, a fire eater named Nyx and an escape artist named Aranea. Shortly after meeting the rather standoffish silver haired woman they reached the temporary office of his new boss.</p>
<p>“Hey, got the new guy here to meet you.” Gladio said in ways of introduction.</p>
<p>“Ah, Mr. Scientia! Pleased to have you on board!” An older man with a graying beard and slicked back hair stood to greet him with a warm smile. </p>
<p>He seemed to be in his circus attire already, a formal looking suit with a black cape draped over his shoulders with a chain, a top hat sitting on his desk. He seemed to be using a cane, although by the way he was leaning on it Ignis figured it was for practical use rather than to add to the ringmaster aesthetic.</p>
<p>“Very nice to meet you, Mr. Lucis Caelum.” Ignis nodded his head and reached out to shake hands with him.</p>
<p>“Please, call me Regis. I don’t have much for you to do today, the brunt of the work for you won’t happen until after this weeks shows are over, but for now maybe Gladiolus could show you around the place before the show starts?” He glanced over at Gladio who nodded and smiled again at Ignis, clapping a hand on his shoulder.</p>
<p>“We’re all very grateful to have your help, Mr. Scientia. I hope you enjoy your time with us and please let me know if theres anything at all I can do for you.” Regis dismissed him with a smile as he went back to his desk and began to organize something or the other.</p>
<p>“C’mon. I’ll show you around the place.” Gladio offered</p>
<p>Ignis took in his surroundings as they walked, the whole place was buzzing with energy as people rushed this way and that to prepare their various acts. Every face he saw was smiling, he even got a few waves from some people which he hesitantly returned.</p>
<p>They were halfway through his tour, stopping right outside where the elephants and lions were being kept, when Ignis thought to ask</p>
<p>“What is it you do here?” He thought he had a pretty good guess, but he’d been surprised a few times already today.</p>
<p>“I’m the strongman. You know, lifting heavy stuff and chucking it around and what not. Hard work.” Gladio explained with a hint of mirth.</p>
<p>“Admirable” Ignis offered with a small grin of his own.</p>
<p>Something caught Gladio’s eye and he turned suddenly to face a small boy lugging some food over to the waiting elephants.</p>
<p>“Talcott! Have you seen Noct?” He called</p>
<p>The young boy- Talcott, dropped the heavy food and rubbed the back of his neck.</p>
<p>“I think I saw him out back helping Prompto practice!” He shouted back, waving at them both as Gladio expressed his thanks.</p>
<p>“C’mon, I’ll introduce you to Noct and Prompto. Noctis is Regis’s son and the future ringmaster. Hates being in the spotlight though so maybe that tells you how well its going.” He chucked as they turned directions to assumedly go find the two in question.</p>
<p>“Prompto’s a real good kid. He’s a trick shooter, those two are inseparable. The same special kind of nerd.” He had a big smile on his face and a certain softness in his eyes as he said it</p>
<p>The pair walked out the back of the tent and the first thing Ignis heard was a gunshot ringing through the air, loud enough that his ears rang in the aftermath.</p>
<p>“Prom! Noct!” Gladio yelled. The dark haired boy threw something up in the air and another shot rang out as the blonde raised the gun.</p>
<p>“Prom!” He tried again. Another throw and another shot.</p>
<p>“PROMPTO!” The final yell was loud enough and the two young men turned around</p>
<p>“Huh?” The dark haired one asked as they both pulled out the earplugs they’d been wearing. That explained a lot.</p>
<p>“Oh, hey Gladio!” The blonde exuberantly waved.</p>
<p>“Hey guys, this is Ignis. He’s the new numbers guy. This is Noctis and Prompto, the two banes of my existence” Gladio teased</p>
<p>“Nah, you love us big guy! You know it!” Prompto teased back, slinging a wiry arm around the strong man’s shoulders.</p>
<p>“Hey.” Was all the introduction he got from Noctis, his hand raising in a halfhearted wave.</p>
<p>“Hello. Pleasure to meet you.” Ignis offered</p>
<p>“Woah! Where are you from? Sweet accent!” Prompto finished wrestling with Gladio and popped up next to him, startling Ignis.</p>
<p>“Sorry, was that weird? That was totally weird wasn’t it.” He immediately apologized, rubbing the back of his neck.</p>
<p>“Ah, not at all” Ignis stuttered a bit “I’m from London but I moved here around secondary school.”</p>
<p>“Neat! Well, I’m Prompto like he said. Don’t be too put off by Noct, he’s just super socially awkward.” He smiled.</p>
<p>Ignis wondered if he was always like this.</p>
<p>“Yeah, coming from you” Noctis scoffed, and the two swatted at each other which quickly turned into roughhousing. </p>
<p>“Eh, you’ll get used to it.” Gladio said next to him, observing the two fighting like children.</p>
<p>Somehow Ignis doubted he would.<br/>
…………………………</p>
<p>That nights show was admittedly impressive. Regis narrated the entire show with a commanding presence, holding the crowd on the edge of their seat.</p>
<p>Gladio lifted an impressive amount of weight. Ignis almost would have thought the dumbbells to be hollow if he hadn’t seen them being set up himself backstage and heard the weight of them as they hit the floor. Iris went next, pulling a terrified looking volunteer from the audience to pose in front of a board as she threw knives expertly around them. Luna and Cindy flung each other through the air in a way that made Ignis just a little nervous, then Nyx came out to do his fire act.</p>
<p>Then it was Prompto’s turn. Noctis came out along with him, presumably to act as an assistant. The young man held a rifle and gave a quick bow as Regis announced him.</p>
<p>“Introducing Quicksilver! The best sharpshooter in the entire country! Watch as he stands 90 feet back and manages to shoot a hole through the middle of this dime!” With bravado Regis held up what indeed looked to be a regular dime, walking along the edge of the audience for everyone to see.</p>
<p>He tossed it over to Noctis who caught it with one hand. He nodded at Prompto and the air stood still as the blonde lined up the shot and he tossed it into the air. Prompto took aim and pulled the trigger, the shot quickly followed by the thud of the bulled lodged into the large board set up in front of him as a buffer.</p>
<p>Noctis went over to pick up the silver coin on the floor and held it up, walking closer to the edges of the ring to indeed see that there was a hole right in the middle of the metal. The crowd broke out into applause, Ignis included. Prompto gave a bow to the audience.</p>
<p>He performed a few more tricks, shooting a playing card, firing six shots into a tin can before it hit the ground and hitting five separate disks thrown in the air at different times in numerical order.</p>
<p>“For his final trick, we will need a volunteer from the audience!” Regis called from his podium and Prompto headed towards the stands.</p>
<p>After seeing Iris with her volunteer there were a few more people brave enough to raise their hands and call out to the gunman, but after a moment Prompto’s eyes locked with his and Ignis could feel a sinking feeling in his stomach. Sure enough, the blonde walked up to him and offered him a hand, an indiscernible but decidedly wicked gleam in his eyes.</p>
<p>“It seems we’ve found out volunteer!”</p>
<p>Ignis wanted to argue that he hadn’t volunteered at all but Regis gave him an encouraging smile and Ignis sighed and stood up, taking his overcoat off and draping it on his seat as he followed Prompto into the ring.</p>
<p>“I promise I won’t shoot you.” Prompto muttered out of the corner of his mouth as they walked.</p>
<p>“How comforting” Ignis shot dryly back, unamused with this entire situation.</p>
<p>“Our volunteer will hold an ordinary cigarette, observe dear friends as Quicksilver cuts it in half with a single bullet!” He barely heard Regis as he head pounded. He hated crowds. He hated being in front of crowds more.</p>
<p>A cigarette was shoved into his hand and Ignis reluctantly held it up between two fingers, as far away from him as he could.</p>
<p>“Closer than that, man.” Prompto chided with a smile, stepping closer and moving Ignis’s hand much closer to his face than he was comfortable with. </p>
<p>Prompto turned his back and walked to the other side of the ring, turning around when he got to the back and raising his rifle. He made a show of aiming and Ignis’s heard was pounding. He’d seen what the man could do, he had no reason to believe he would miss this time, but he couldn’t help the feeling of his mortality slipping away.</p>
<p>“Let us give him complete and utter silence to concentrate!” A hush fell over the crowd at Regis’s voice and maybe he imagined it but he thought he could hear the cock of the gun as Prompto readied it. He met the other man’s eyes, a rather pretty blend of blue and violet, and he nodded.</p>
<p>Ignis took a deep breath and held it.</p>
<p>One</p>
<p>Two</p>
<p>Three</p>
<p>The gunshot seemed a lot louder this time and Ignis couldn’t help but flinch and squeeze his eyes closed. After a moment he realized he wasn’t hurt, wasn’t bleeding out, and he opened his eyes to see one half of a smoking cigarette between his two fingers.</p>
<p>The audience went crazy, cheers and whoops as Ignis’s heartbeat echoed loudly in his head. He didn’t notice Prompto approach him until the cigarette was gently removed from his hand and the younger man’s palm touched his back to guide him back to his seat.</p>
<p>The blonde stepped into the middle of the ring and gave a sweeping bow, waving with a cheeky grin before stepping backstage. Ignis didn’t pay any attention to Aranea’s escape act or Cor’s lion taming, all he could think about was his heartbeat, those blue-violet eyes and the sound of a gun going off.<br/>
…………………………..</p>
<p>“Sorry man, I probably shouldn’t have done that.” Prompto apologized later, doing that thing where he rubbed the back of his neck with a slightly chastised expression. Judging by Gladio’s crossed arms and stern expression he could take a guess at who had chided him.</p>
<p>“It is quite alright. You are an excellent shot, I had nothing to fret over.” Ignis only meant half of that, but he figured the boy had been scolded enough for one day.</p>
<p>“You’re way too nice to me, Iggy. I mean I did just shoot at you.” Prompto laughed </p>
<p>“Iggy?” He repeated with a question on his lips.</p>
<p>“Oh…sorry, that just came out! You know I just call Gladiolus Gladio and Noctis Noct, I guess I just have a nickname thing…” This young man seemed to do more apologizing than speaking.</p>
<p>“Thats alright. Call me whatever you wish as long as it isn’t insulting.” Ignis agreed with a smile smile, hoping to calm the man’s apparently every present fraying nerves.</p>
<p>It worked as he visibly relaxed. He had a lot of freckles. Ignis didn’t know where that thought had come from, but now that was all he could think about. </p>
<p>Maybe it was still the glare of the lights in his eyes but they kind of looked like stars.<br/>
………………………….</p>
<p>Ignis found himself spending more and more time with Gladio, Noctis and Prompto. When he wasn’t doing his job he accompanied them on whatever adventures they would get up to, usually exploring whichever city they were in or trying suspicious looking street foods (Ignis had insisted he could make some that wouldn’t give them food poisoning, but hadn’t had the chance to get the ingredients). He told them about his life, how he moved to America at a young age, how he went to university for accounting and how he was trying to find a steady job somewhere like New York or San Francisco and in return he learned a lot about the three of them.</p>
<p>Gladio’s father is Regis’s best friend and opened the Insomnia Circus with him, Gladio was very young when it started and was practically raised in the environment. His little sister meant everything to him and he was foolishly protective of her even though she could hit a bullseye with a knife from 50 yards away (which he’d seen her do). He also liked to read poetry and romance and grew flowers in small pots he kept next to his cot.</p>
<p>Noctis was quiet, but once Ignis got to know him a little better he began to open up and showed a childlike kind of mischief around him. He often disappeared to go fishing whenever they were in a a location he could do so and would bring back an entire bag full at the end of the evening. He didn’t really want to be ringmaster, he didn’t feel like he had the bravado and presence that his father did. Ignis assured him he would grow into it, the boy was hardly older than 20 years old after all. Ignis also caught him hiding his vegetables at meal times and feeding them to the elephants later, he hadn’t said anything to him about it yet but he was biding his time.</p>
<p>Prompto was an interesting one. He didn’t often offer up information about himself but Ignis managed to get a little bit of an idea about where he came from. Out of the three of them he was the only one who didn’t grow up here, instead he was informally adopted by a couple living in the slums of St. Louis after they found him abandoned as a baby. Prompto always spoke of his parents with fondness, but mentioned often the hunger he had faced due to their long absences trying to make enough money to get by. He dropped out of school to work by the time he was 16 years of age and when he was 18 Insomnia Circus came into town. He was no stranger to sharpshooting already, he began with slingshots as a child and as he got older practiced with real guns, ones that his parents had given him after a string of break ins and robberies on their block. He had approached the tent when they arrived and begged for a chance to show them what he could do, Regis accepted and the rest was history. He sent money back to his parents periodically.</p>
<p>He knew all of this about him, yet he didn’t really know bout him. His likes and dislikes, his hobbies and his opinions. Did he have someone waiting for him back home? He didn’t think so, but the warm feeling he got whenever he saw the blonde placed a seed of doubt in him.</p>
<p>“Hey, Iggy!” Speak of the devil, Prompto ran up to him with a wave and a grin.</p>
<p>“You don’t have to run, I’m not going anywhere” Ignis greeted him with a smile of his own.</p>
<p>“I know, I just have so much energy today you know? We’re picking up! Going to St. Louis!” He practically bounced up and down on the balls of his feet.</p>
<p>Ignis chuckled.</p>
<p>“Are you excited to see your parents?” He asked. Prompto’s expression faltered for just a moment.</p>
<p>“Sure! As long as they aren't too busy!”</p>
<p>Ignis frowned. No one should be too busy for their child, especially one as endearing and exuberant as Prompto.</p>
<p>“I’m sure they will have time for you” Ignis reassured. He was sure of it.<br/>
……………………………….</p>
<p>Prompto was out visiting his family today before the show. He had been fretting all morning about his visit, straightening his shirt and fussing over the stray piece of hair that kept sticking up. He gave a big sigh and a “well, here I go” before heading out of the tent and on his way.</p>
<p>Ignis had spent the rest of the morning in his makeshift office, crunching numbers and scribbling on the various papers he had spread around him. The budgeting from last months shows was a little tricky as they had to down one of their Pittsburg performances due to an extreme lightning storm. They’d had to herd the animals back into their traveling compartments to take them somewhere safe and the human performers had to seek out accommodations at local inns and hotels as the big top was one large lightning rod. Most of their revenue had gone to that and Ignis was trying very hard to minimize the loss as much as possible.</p>
<p>He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, most likely messing the gel he had put in that morning. His eyes hurt from the strain and he removed his glasses to rub at them. He needed a break. Perhaps he could take a stroll around the tent and see what Gladiolus and Noctis were up to before returning to take another crack at the numbers.</p>
<p>He stretched his legs with a satisfying pop as all his joins shifted back into place and meandered out the door to go find his companions. He had just been passing by the elephant pens when he heard a sniffle. Last he checked elephants didn’t make that noise. He stopped in his tracks and listened again. There it was again, a sniffle and a shaky inhale. Ignis turned around and glanced around the corner towards the edge of the food shed.</p>
<p>“Prompto?” He asked softly</p>
<p>The blonde man was tucked in on himself, arms hugging his legs and his face buried in his knees with his back shaking. At Ignis’s voice his head shot up to reveal his puffy, bloodshot eyes and the tear tracks on his cheeks. He was still in his clothing from this morning, that one piece of hair still sticking up straight.</p>
<p>“Oh…sorry, Iggy. I didn’t realize you were here.” He put on a smile but Ignis didn’t buy it for a second.</p>
<p>“Please don’t apologize to me. Tell me whats going on.” He moved closer to Prompto as his thinly veiled smile broke. He sat down, ignoring the voice in the back of his head that noted how dirty the floor was, and leaned against the shed next to the young man.</p>
<p>“They didn’t show up.” He whispered, his voice defeated.</p>
<p>It took Ignis a moment to catch up, too preoccupied with watching those freckles drown under the tears on his face.</p>
<p>“Your mother and father?” He confirmed and Prompto nodded and let out another small sob.</p>
<p>“They never do. I don’t know why I thought this time would be different. They just ask me to send them their money.” He sounded so resigned and Ignis could have burned hotter than Nyx’s torches at that moment.</p>
<p>He had half a mind to go track those two down and give them a few choice words. Didn’t they realize how lucky they were to have Prompto? To have that smile and those stupid corny jokes and someone who loved them that much? Didn’t they appreciate how talented he was with that gun or how he bit his tongue when he was concentrating or how he rubbed the back of his neck when he was insecure? He was just about to stand up to act on his rage when he heard something that made all the anger flood out of him, replaced with grief and sorrow.</p>
<p>“Why don’t they want me, Iggy?” that small broken voice accompanied blue-violet eyes swimming with tears looking into his.</p>
<p>His heart snapped in half. It felt like Ignis was helping him with his trick yet again, holding that cigarette between two fingers, but this time Prompto missed and shot the bullet straight into his heart.</p>
<p>He didn’t think, just pulled the blonde’s head into his chest, triggering a new wave of sobs from him as he cradled his head protectively, stroking his hair with one hand.</p>
<p>“I don’t know, darling. They don’t deserve you in the slightest.”<br/>
……………………….</p>
<p>Ignis’s hands shook a little as he held the paper. This was it, this was what he had been waiting for for the last six months now. This was his dream.</p>
<p>A law firm from San Francisco. They accepted his application, they needed an accountant and they wanted him. He looked at the number accompanying the salary on the offer and his heart jumped. This was everything he had ever wanted, so why did he feel so torn?</p>
<p>He knew. Deep inside he knew. He never should have gotten so attached, but he couldn’t imagine being here without seeing Prompto’s grin, or hearing Noct’s joke, or feeling Gladio slap him on the back. He can’t forget Regis’s fatherly smile or Cor’s ever so rare words of approval, the way Aranea was the only person he’d ever met who could best him at chess.</p>
<p>This was a no brainer, so why was it so hard?</p>
<p>He set the paper down on his desk and sighed, placing his head in his hands.</p>
<p>“Knock knock” Regis’s voice called from outside. There weren’t proper doors in the tent so this was the best they could do.</p>
<p>He pushed back the curtain and looked at Ignis with that comforting smile he loved yet hated.</p>
<p>“Cor mentioned you were looking for me earlier, is everything alright?” He sat down in the one other chair in Ignis’s office, using the cane to gently lower himself down.</p>
<p>“Yes, everything is alright. I just wanted to inform you I have a job offer in San Fransisco from the Izunia Law Firm.”</p>
<p>Regis just nodded like this was hardly news to him. Like he expected it.</p>
<p>“Congratulations my boy, I knew you’d be doing big things. Are you going to take the offer? We would love to have you here as long as you would like to stay, but we can’t afford to pay you any more.” Regis looked apologetic at the end there</p>
<p>“I think I know that better than anyone here” Ignis replied with a wry smile and Regis laughed.</p>
<p>“I…I don’t know if I’m going to take it.” Ignis’s smile faded and he started down at the letter.</p>
<p>He jumped when a hand came out of nowhere and placed itself on top of his own. He hadn’t noticed Regis get up, but he was standing in front of his desk and looking at him with those fatherly eyes.</p>
<p>“Take your time. Whatever you decide, I’m sure they’ll be happy for you.” Ignis wasn’t sure if Regis could read minds or was just very good at seeing past his poker face, but he was kind of glad. He didn’t want to have to explain.</p>
<p>“Don’t…don’t tell Noct yet. Please.” Ignis requested as Regis moved towards the doorway.</p>
<p>“Not mine to tell.” He responded with one last smile as he pushed off on his cane and left the room.<br/>
……………………..<br/>
It had been a week. Ignis needed to respond to the offer, and soon. He was still as torn as ever, each day was making it harder to decide. </p>
<p>He thought about it as he helped Talcott feed the elephants and lions, his formal wear traded for an open chested shirt and suspenders.</p>
<p>He thought about it as he chopped vegetables with Iris who had unsurprisingly impressive knife skills.</p>
<p>He thought about it as Aranea won another chess game.</p>
<p>He thought about it as Gladio animatedly explained the plot of the current novel he was reading to him on a walk.</p>
<p>He thought about it as he watched Noctis throw a dime in the air for Prompto to practice shooting.</p>
<p>He thought about it whenever he saw Prompto’s face.</p>
<p>Should he trade his dream job for this? Was it even his dream anymore? He didn’t know.</p>
<p>He walked back to his office later, intending on sitting down and making a final concrete decision. He walked through the door but immediately noted his office looked different than usual, namely the young blonde man standing near his desk holding a familiar piece of paper. He noticed him come in and looked up guiltily, placing it back on the table.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry…I didn’t mean to pry but I was looking for you and I accidentally knocked over some papers and…are you going to take it?” He rambled quickly, his eyes boring into Ignis’s. They almost looked pleading and Ignis couldn't figure out the meaning behind it.</p>
<p>“I…don’t know.” He replied honestly.</p>
<p>Prompto nodded like he expected that but his brow furrowed a bit.</p>
<p>“I’ll be happy for you whatever you choose, like you deserve it you know? You’ll make such a good life in San Francisco just like you wanted and-“</p>
<p>“Prompto.” Ignis interrupted.</p>
<p>There was a beat of silence before Prompto spoke in a small voice</p>
<p>“I want you to stay.”</p>
<p>Ignis was a magnet. The buildup he’d been feeling for six months now began to overflow, he didn’t think as he took a giant step towards the blonde. He grasped his biceps and leaned down, pressing his lips to the other man’s. Prompto made a noise of sunrise and for a moment Ignis came back to himself, preparing to pull away. Before he could do any such thing Prompt responded in earnest, gripping the fabric on Ignis’s waist as he tilted his head.</p>
<p>He didn’t know how long the kiss lasted, but eventually they stopped. Forehead to forehead, nose to nose, eyes closed as their hands gripped the others.</p>
<p>“I want you to stay.” Prompto repeated.</p>
<p>Ignis nodded.</p>
<p>“I’m not going anywhere.”</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>